Nicole Fisher is the President and CEO at HHR Strategies, a health care and human rights focused advising firm. Additionally, she is a Senior Policy Advisor and expert on health economic analyses mainly focusing on Medicare, Medicaid and health reform, specifically as they impact vulnerable populations. Nicole runs a Health Innovation and Policy page at Forbes.com highlighting and advising companies, ideas and people that are changing the health care landscape and curates a monthly health dinner series: Chicago HealthCare Dinners. She is also currently pursuing her PhD at the University of North Carolina in the Health Policy and Management Department. Her writing has appeared in other publications such as Health Affairs, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Journal, Wright on Health, The Health Care Blog and Health Services Research, and her talks can be found on the United Nations website. Before pursuing her PhD in health policy, Nicole earned her Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri. Her health care and policy work at those institutions had an emphasis on underserved populations, women's and children’s issues. She presides on several Boards for domestic and international health organizations and frequently speaks on health reform, innovation and human rights.

According to a Harvard study (but with notable links to political figures), specific illness or injury medical costs are to blame for an estimated 30% of filings for bankruptcy, and another 20% listed health care issues as a contribution to bankruptcy filing. Surprisingly, most of these people had health insurance when they first got sick or hurt.

Further, in 2012, when health care costs for the average American family of four exceeded $20,000 for the first time, Milliman used their Milliman Medical Index (MMI) to liken the cost of a family’s health care to the cost of an average midsize sedan. In 2013, with typical costs at $22,030, they also compared other major purchases to the annual cost of healthcare. For example, the cost of attending an in-state public college is $22,261 for the current academic year.

However, these costs do not account for many of the other OOP expenses that American’s endure such as additional daycare for children of patients, costs for patients who travel across borders or out-of-network for better care that is not accessible on their insurance plan. Those costs are also not reflective of the travel expenses, parking fees, and other expenses that come to families needing extensive care.

Seeing the toll Hurricane Katrina took on victims and entire communities, GiveForward Co-Founder and CEO Desiree Vargas Wrigley wanted to donate to those in the area, but had trouble without validated online sources that weren’t specifically tied to a for-profit organization with high overhead costs or a nonprofit targeting exactly what she wanted. With Co-Founder and President Ethan Austin, she set out to, “take donation jars at convenience store registers to the next level.”

Instead of placing a jar with a photo of a child needing a heart transplant on a local counter, families can go online and tell their story, as well as interact with donors and give updates on treatment progress.

“No one ever plans for an emergency medical crisis or being involved in a catastrophic event like the attack last year at the Boston Marathon. We hope to help people heal as they see others from around the world provide them with extra emotional support and monetary donations,” contends Ethan.

The Founders of GiveForward knew they were onto something big when their first online raise netted $30,000 in 30 days using Facebook as the primary method of outreach.

According to the company, 99.5% of all donations go to the individuals and families of those fundraising, with the 0.5% taken by GiveForward as a “keep the lights on” fee.

To date, the company has raised close to $100 million in only a few years, with Patrick and Jess being the biggest raise yet. With only days left to go on their campaign, and approaching the 2014 Boston Marathon run, the couple is nearing $900,000 in donations.

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